Holiness… only by the power of His Grace
“Jesus not only gives purity of heart, but Jesus is our purity of heart.”
- Peter Kreeft
“Holiness is a dangerous thing to preach when its relationship to grace and the real presence of God is not understood. Knowing and preaching the law of God does not enable one to keep it. Only grace does that. Moralism and legalism has replaced listening to God and humbly walking in Him. Knowledge of the law is good and necessary. But to preach the law apart from teaching the walk in the Spirit leaves the flock with what they ought to do, yet without the power to do it.
God keeps us in His holiness as we remain in obedient subjection to Him. We must remain in union with Christ (John 15). But true union with Christ is hardly understood or walked out today. The rift between head and heart leads many to think that a more or less spiritualized perfectionism is what union with Christ means. When holiness is preached apart from understanding and walking in this union – an incarnational reality – legalism is the result.
Where there is legalism, there is always pride. We will have that spiritualized perfectionism whereby we say, ‘I am by my own striving and goodness keeping the law.’ Only in union with Him, listening to Him and carrying out His orders, are we holy. Any substitute for this leaves us without the knowledge of ourselves as a prideful sinner. Our holiness is at every moment Another’s.
Those who treasure holiness and produce its fruits are the poor in spirit, the humble of the earth. They are fond of the Jesus Prayer. In one way or another they pray it over and over. ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.’ They are quick to acknowledge their pride and lack of humility, repenting of it daily.
Without holiness we will not see God. He Himself effects it in His people. To preach the gospel is to teach the way of holiness, and apart from holiness there is no true worship of God. Holiness is the way of remaining in Christ, of walking in the presence of God.” - Leanne Payne
“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” – Psalm 24:3-4
“A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road… shall not go astray.” – Isaiah 35:8
For many years I have been caught in the snare of legalism. I thought that if I could just be “good enough”, “righteous enough” or “holy enough” then I would be able to enter into the throne room of God. So when I failed miserably, the condemnation would set in and I would sit outside the throne room in a state of self-pity with my face in my hands. I have lived a life of shame because I could never make myself into the person that I thought I should be. I did not see the pride of my actions… in fact, I rather thought it was humility. What a fool I’ve been to sit outside heaven’s door for so many years, living a life lacking in victory and the joy of being in the presence of the Lord.
I am so grateful that the Lord never let my attempts to change myself succeed. I am glad that He let me fail time and time again, growing weary that all of my striving efforts to transform myself and my heart condition were futile. If I could have disciplined myself, fixed myself, produced beautiful fruit, acquired wisdom and understanding, and even saved myself, I would have. And I would have gloried in myself because of all the good I had done. It is only by His grace that I have come to realize that “apart from Him, I can do nothing.”
The truth of the matter is that above all, He wants relationship with me. He doesn’t expect or want me to produce holiness on my own. He knows this is impossible without Him. There is no other way to travel the “Highway of Holiness” except through humility and remaining in the Vine of relationship with Him. What a complete surprise to find that in resting in Him and gazing on His brilliancy… this is what would transform me. I didn’t have to work for it… I just desperately needed to find my way back to my First Love.
“It is a snare to imagine that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do; God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself.” – Oswald Chambers
“Jesus not only gives purity of heart, but Jesus is our purity of heart. God has made Him to be our righteousness.” – Peter Kreeft
Miss,
I think it is so awesome to see what is coming forth from you that I believe is only happening because you were willing to follow God’s leading and quit your job without knowing what would come next. It’s given you time to seek Him and bask in His presence and both you and Mark are being rewarded for the sacrifices you are making with the loss of income. You are sowing seeds that will reap an eternal harvest. Beautiful.
Mel
Sadly, many of us fell victim to the spiritual abuse that all that legalism behind man’s religion and religious views taught. I am rejoicing that Jesus brought me through the mirey much to see that He is SO MUCH MORE than all that. He wants me ~ ME! Not what religion makes (or made) me.
I love you girl, great devotion.
DeDee